Rev. Robert A. Lotzer

PERSONAL INFORMATION

I was born (May 29, 1970) and was raised in Mesquite, TX.  I was raised in a typically, pietistic Southern Baptist home.  At an early age I came to faith in Christ, but it wasn't until many years latter that I began to really understand the gospel.  After graduation from high school, I soon entered into college to begin preparation for a degree in Biomedical Engineering.  I soon realized that my calling was elsewhere and I decided to enter the Criswell College for Biblical Studies to prepare for a calling in the Ministry.  After several years of ministry in a local church, the leadership of that church recognized the call upon my life and licensed me to the Gospel ministry in 1989.

After years of learning to exegete the Scriptures, it became clearer to me that God had been providentially leading me to become a minister of a local congregation.  After graduating from the Criswell College with two degrees (BA, MA), I decided to further my theological training at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX.  It was during this time while studying under E. Earle Ellis that I began to read the Scriptures redemptive historically and with a Reformed hermenuetic.  After graduation, I received a call from a small, rural Baptist church in Northern Mississippi.  I was ordained by the leadership at that church in December, 1995.  During that short term of pastoring, I began to do more work in covenant theology and the sacraments and became convinced that a Westminsterian theology (Old School Presbyterianism) was the proper reading of Scripture.  I soon relinquished my pulpit and returned to Seminary in hopes of having time to reorganize my thoughts and to spend more time studying the Scriptures. 

While I was attending seminary at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS, a small, rural PCA church in South Mississippi asked me to come and preach for them.  After some time there, the church decided to call me as their pastor and I began to transfer my credentials into Grace Presbytery of the PCA.  After several months of examinations, I was transferred into Grace Presbytery in September, 1997. 

I spent three years at the PCA church and received a call from the Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) in Abilene, TX in February, 2000.  I was transferred into the OPC in April, 2000.

I married Traci Anne Hanson on May 18, 1991.  We have three children:  Haleigh Nichol, Hannah Noelle and Trenton Alexander .   

My hobbies are pretty simple:  spending time with friends and family, reading, cigars, pipes, ale (Bass or Pete's Wicked), and aged single-malt scotch.

EDUCATION

In August 1992, I received a BA in Biblical Studies (Summa Cum Laude) from the Criswell College in Dallas, Texas.

In August 1993, I received a MA in New Testament/Greek (Summa Cum Laude) from the Criswell College in Dallas, Texas.

In May 1995, I received a MDiv in Biblical Languages (Summa Cum Laude) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. 

I have completed all the course work toward a ThM in Systematic Theology from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.